Littleelms@catford Green

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children settle exceptionally well in this welcoming and nurturing setting. They build strong relationships with staff that ensure they feel safe and secure.

When babies become unsettled, their key person swiftly and easily comforts them. Children benefit from the close relationships staff have with parents right from the start, which helps them to meet children's needs and routines. Children develop high levels of resilience to challenges and risk.

They actively learn how to assess risks and continue their play safely. When completing an obstacle course, toddlers learn how far or high to step, to safely move through e...ach section of the course. Older children learn balance and coordination as they negotiate an assault course and climb into the 'crow's nest' of their pirate ship.

This also supports their physical development. Children's behaviour is exceptional because staff are excellent role models. Children follow the clear rules and boundaries in place across the setting.

They learn these from the outset and listen to appropriate questions and gentle reminders from staff, as needed.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have an in-depth understanding of how to support good mental health and emotional resilience in children. They ensure all staff understand the importance of teaching children to understand and communicate their feelings and those of others.

This builds children's confidence in speaking about how they feel and promotes their overall well-being.Leaders create an extremely ambitious curriculum that clearly focuses on what children already know and can do. There are very high expectations for what children can achieve in most areas of learning.

Staff plan and carry out activities based on their in-depth knowledge of children's individual skills and learning needs. For example, they seamlessly take over an activity from their colleague and continue the quality learning experience.Children with additional needs receive high levels of support from staff.

Leaders work very closely with support agencies to ensure staff are equipped fully to meet the advanced needs of the children that attend. Leaders embed the guidance and strategies from these agencies consistently. As such, all children, including those with additional needs, and those who receive additional funding, make significant progress in their learning.

Staff provide a wealth of opportunities for children to develop their understanding of the community and world around them. For example, staff use stories to teach children about the similarities and differences of people in their community. They discuss how the characters in a story feel when excluded from activities because of the way they look or sound.

This helps children understand how to be respectful of others.Children's attitudes towards their learning are strong. Babies confidently walk over step and ramp apparatus independently or holding the hands of their key person.

At times, they may stumble and fall. However, they pull themselves up and continue trying. Older children are patient and understand when others are using resources.

They move on to another activity but politely ask their friends to let them know when they can have a turn.Children are well prepared for the next stages in their learning, including as they go on to school. Staff focus on supporting the skills children will need in the next room.

The pre-school leader works closely with the local authority to understand the expectations of local schools. She leads her team to focus on children's independence and emotional readiness for their move to school.Staff support children's communication and language skills well.

They role model taking turns in conversation and listening to what others have to say. Young children pick up coloured blocks and say the colour name, sometimes incorrectly. Staff repeat back the correct colour and children copy them.

Staff praise their achievements. However, at times, staff do not expose older children to as wide a range of vocabulary as they could. For instance, in the pirate ship, some staff tell children that there are lots of new words they can learn about ships, but do not share these words with them.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Leaders create a positive safeguarding culture in the setting. They ensure that all staff have the skills and knowledge required to recognise when children are at risk of or suffering from abuse.

There are clear reporting procedures in place. As a result, all staff know how to keep children safe and how to report their concerns. This includes wider safeguarding issues, such as the 'Prevent' duty guidance.

Leaders and staff use risk assessments effectively for the environment and management of allergies to consistently ensure children's safety. Leaders use robust recruitment procedures, which mean that all adults in the setting are suitable to work with children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: further support staff to introduce children to an even greater range of unfamiliar words, to build on their vocabulary.